Classroom Newsletter: Smart Phones and Budget Changes

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PAGE ONE Economics Smart Phones and Budget Changes Jeannette N Bennett Senior Economic Education Specialist GLOSSARY Budget An itemized summary of probable income and expenses for a given period a plan for managing income spending and saving during a given period Disposable income The amount of a person s paycheck that is available to spend or save Expenditures Money spent to buy goods and services Income The payment people receive for providing resources in the marketplace When people work they provide human resources labor and in exchange receive income in the form of wages or salaries People also earn income in the form of rent profit and interest Per capita Per person Determined by dividing the total quantity by the total population Productivity The ratio of output per worker per unit of time Saving Income not spent on current consumption or taxes Saving involves giving up some current consumption for future consumption Spending Using some or all of your income to buy things you want now A wise man adapts himself to circumstances as water shapes itself to the vessel that contains it Chinese proverb Introduction Everyone wants financial success but how can it be achieved A first step in attaining this goal is making a budget This means creating a plan that ensures an effective way to balance income spending and saving during a given time Because a budget is so valuable it is specifically included in the National Standards in Personal Finance People can improve their economic well being by making informed spending decisions which entails collecting information planning and budgeting 1 Yesterday s budget won t work for today Consumer spending patterns change in response to changes in other aspects of life such as income workforce and educational levels family demographics and technology Food expenditures is one example The percentage of per capita disposable income spent on food from 1950 to 2014 changed dramatically In 2014 consumers had about 10 percent more of their disposable income available for things other than food than consumers did in 1950 See Figure 1 Certainly a budget designed in 1950 would look quite different from one created today Figure 1 Percent of Per Capita Disposable Income Used for Food Expenditures in the United States Percent of Total Spending for Food SOURCE USDA Economic Research Service Food Expenditures Series Table 7 Food expenditures by families and individuals as a share of disposable personal income https www ers usda gov data products food expenditures April 2018 Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis research stlouisfed org PAGE ONE Economics Phone Technology Changes Our Lives and Our Budgets Food expenditures are not the only expenditures that affect a budget over time Spending patterns also change because of the vast number of consumer goods and services that continue to be developed and gradually become accepted as necessities Of course technology has played a huge role in this change For example in 1900 only one out of twenty people had a telephone at that time telephones were not considered necessities to include in a budget 2 Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis research stlouisfed org 2 Figure 2 Roughly Three Quarters of Americans Own a Smart Phone It s a different story today A survey conducted in December 2016 by the National Health Interview Survey NHIS of the civilian noninstitutionalized U S population indicated approximately 97 percent of households had telephone service and 50 8 percent had only wireless phone service That year was the first time a majority of American homes had only wireless telephones 3 Clearly telephones have now been accepted as necessities and should be considered in a household budget The Government s Support for Phones The government validated the use of and dependence on phones As part of the 1996 Telecommunications Act a federal government sponsored and regulated program began to assist in the cost of landline phones The program was designed to ensure all Americans including low income consumers and those who live in rural insular high cost areas shall have affordable service and help to connect eligible schools libraries and rural health care providers to the global telecommunications network 4 In 2008 this program moved into the cellular cell phone market As cell phones began to increase in popularity the program made cell phones and cell phone service free for qualifying consumers with qualification determined by income level and or participation in other federal or state assistance programs The program allows eligible consumers to choose among cell phone companies Individual plans vary according to the company chosen and often vary from state to state Some states offer unlimited calling texting and even some data allowance other states offer lesser plans Although estimates vary as many as 12 to 15 million Americans participate in the free cell phone program 5 NOTE The White and Black segments include only non Hispanics The survey was conducted from September 29 through November SOURCE Reprinted with permission from the Pew Research Center http www pewresearch org fact tank facts about smartphones The Cell Phone Revolution The mobile cell phone revolution began in 1973 This invention brought drastic changes to communication as well as expenditures New products with new features offered new choices for consumers with styles and models such as the Brick phone the Clamshell the Candybar and the Razr flip phone Service providers soon promoted contracts for phone service By 2007 Apple had created the iPhone and the smartphone world was born 6 The smartphone expanded the traditional phone by providing the work and services of a computer in a very small and convenient package American consumers were quick to adopt this technology A 2014 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center found that 46 percent of smartphone owners said their smartphone is something they couldn t live without 7 Additional research conducted by the Pew Research Center in late 2016 estimated that 77 percent of American adults owned a smartphone This 2016 survey indicated younger adults those with higher levels of education and those with PAGE ONE Economics A Smartphone can take and send pictures and videos replace an alarm clock tell time send receive emails send receive text messages access the weather give directions make online orders pay bills online access the Internet provide online banking provide apps serve as a calculator help you look for a job allow you to read an e book give you the latest news replace a flashlight higher income levels had the highest percentages of smartphone ownership 8 See Figure 2 But other groups have also latched on to the new technology The survey showed that 42 percent of adults age 65 and older owned a smartphone While this group represented the lowest ownership among all groups it was still a fast growing group From 2013 to 2016 their smartphone ownership rate increased 24 percent 9 Clearly seniors have also been jumping on the smartphone bandwagon Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis research stlouisfed org Figure 3 Average Annual Expenditures in Cellular and Residential Phone Services SOURCE USDA Brett Creech Expenditures on cellular phone services have increased significantly since Beyond the Numbers Prices Spending Vol 5 No 1 U S Bureau of Labor Statistics February 2016 https www bls gov opub btn volume 5 expenditures on celluar phone services have increased significantly since 2007 htm Average Annual Expenditures on Cellular Phone Service Spending from 2007 to 2014 by Age Group Expenditure 2007 Expenditure 2014 Change in Dollars years years years years years and older Smartphone Usage 65 74 years How much time do consumers spend using their smartphones Different reports offer different answers For example one 2017 report shows average usage in the United States is a little over 2 hours per day 10 A different 2017 source says U S consumers now spend 5 hours per day on mobile devices 11 The one definite answer is that consumers are increasingly connected to their smartphones and are seldom found phoneless 75 years and older Increasing Expenditures The cost of smartphone ownership can vary depending on the phone itself the contract and the options pur 3 Age Group Under 25 years SOURCE U S Bureau of Labor Statistics Brett Creech Expenditures on cellular phone services have increased significantly since Beyond the Numbers Prices Spending vol 5 no 1 U S Bureau of Labor Statistics February 2016 Table 2 https www bls gov opub btn volume 5 expenditures on celluar phone services have increased significantly since 2007 htm chased When the smartphone revolution began in 2007 expenditures for cellular phone service in the United States exceeded the amount spent on landlines or residential lines for the first time Expenditures on cellular phone services continue to rise rapidly 12 See Figure 3 PAGE ONE Economics From the expenditures on cell phone service increased among all age groups See the table Of course there are more features and advanced technology involved each time the price tag increases Fingerprint scanners faster charging batteries better cameras and more memory are examples of technology included in the newer often higher price tags Conclusion The percent of per capita disposable income used for food expenditures over the years has decreased the expenditures on cell phones have increased These examples demonstrate that a budget is dynamic and requires regular adjustment The first mobile phones were designed only for making calls These were replaced with an advanced cell phone appropriately called the smartphone With its capability to perform advanced technological tasks the smartphone has been accepted for its convenience as well as its ability to increase productivity The cell phone revolution has changed both the way we interact with our world and our spending choices And circumstances will continue to change Technology will continue to bring new developments that will gradually become accepted as necessities and therefore change spending patterns A deliberate adaptation to shifts in spending patterns is a step toward financial success A recent study by U S Bank shows that only 41 percent of Americans use a budget 13 Perhaps this will change with more attention and application of the Chinese proverb A wise man adapts himself to circumstances as water shapes itself to the vessel that contains it n Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis research stlouisfed org 4 Notes 1 Council for Economic Education National Standards for Financial Literacy New York NY 2013 p 6 http councilforeconed org wp wp content uploads 2013 02 national standards for financial literacy pdf 2 Thompson Derek The Atlantic How America Spends Money 100 Years in the Life of the Family Budget April 2012 https www theatlantic com business archive 2012 04 how america spendsmoney 100 years in the life of the family budget Blumberg SJ Luke JV Wireless substitution Early release of estimates from the National Health Interview Survey July December 2016 National Center for Health Statistics May 2017 https www cdc gov nchs data nhis earlyrelease wireless201705 pdf 4 Bank Justin The Annenberg Public Policy Center The Obama Phone Nov https www factcheck org 2009 10 the obama phone 5 Free Government Cell Phones States Providing Cell Phones from the Government to Low Income Residents https www freegovernmentcellphones net states 6 Nguyen Nicole The Evolution of the Cell Phone How Far It s Come July https readwrite com cell phone evolution popsugar 7 Rainie Lee and Perrin Andrew Pew Research Center 10 Facts about Smartphones as the iPhone Turns 10 June http www pewresearch org facttank facts about smartphones 8 Ibid 9 Ibid 10 Dunn Jeff Business Insider Smartphone Addiction Seems to Only Be Getting Stronger May http www businessinsider com people spendingmore time on smartphones chart Perez Sarah U S consumers now spend 5 hours per day on mobile devices March 3 2017 https hackernoon com how much time do people spend ontheir mobile phones in 2017 e5f90a0b10a6 12 Creech Brett Expenditures on cellular phone services have increased significantly since Beyond the Numbers Prices Spending vol 5 no 1 U S Bureau of Labor Statistics February 2016 https www bls gov opub btn volume 5 expenditures on celluar phone services have increased significantly since 2007 htm 13 Backman Maurie CNN Money The Motley Fool Nearly 3 in 5 Americans Are Making This Huge Financial Mistake October http money cnn com pf financial mistake budget index html Please visit our website and archives at http research stlouisfed org publications page1 econ for more information and resources Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis Views expressed do not necessarily reflect official positions of the Federal Reserve System PAGE ONE Economics Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis research stlouisfed org 5 Name Period Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis Page One Economics Smart Phones and Budget Changes After reading the article select the best answer to each question Spending on cell phone service from 2007 to 2014 a increased in younger age groups and decreased in older age groups b increased among all age groups c decreased by a small percentage d decreased because of more features and added technology On average which age group spent the most on cellular phone service spending in 2014 a 75 years and older b under 25 years c between 25 and 34 years old d between 35 and 44 years old Telephone expenditures have become part of household budgets because a more than 90 percent of Americans use a budget b telephones are now accepted as necessities c government programs do not support telephone services d food expenses have increased On average people in 1950 spent a the same percentage of their disposable income on food as people did in 1960 b a smaller percentage of their disposable income on food than people did in 1970 c a greater percentage of their disposable income on food than people did in 2014 d the same percentage of their disposable income on food as people did in Government programs that support phone usage a provide free cell phones to all American consumers b require consumers who are eligible for free cell phones to use the same cell phone company c first began in 1973 because of the cell phone revolution d were first started to help people with the cost of a landline phone The percentage of smartphone ownership in the United States a is the same among all education levels of consumers b increases as the level of education increases c increases as the level of education decreases d is not affected by the level of education PAGE ONE Economics Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis research stlouisfed org 7 The smartphone a was originally designed as the first of wireless phones b is a tool that can increase productivity c is helpful to only high income earners d was considered a necessity in the 1970s 8 It is important to make regular adjustments to a household budget because a the percentage of per capita disposable income spent on food increases each year b consumer spending patterns remain the same over the years c adapting to shifts in spending patterns is a step toward financial success d reports show fewer than half of Americans use a budget 9 Since 2007 the average annual expenditures on residential phone services landlines have a decreased each year b increased in all years except 2011 which showed a decrease c remained equal to the amount spent on cellular service d been greater than the amount spent on cellular service 10 A budget is a plan that addresses a time period and a will probably not need adjustments since the smartphone has already been invented b will be the same in 1950 and as it is in the current year c is helpful to only high income earners d helps to balance income spending and saving 11 Today most consumers consider a cell phone to be a necessity There are choices when selecting the phone itself the contract and the options purchased The basic cell phone is much less expensive than a smartphone but more consumers are choosing the more expensive smartphone Explain reasons why consumers are willing to pay more for smartphones 6 PAGE ONE Economics Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis research stlouisfed org George is on a business trip and his flight includes a two hour layover between connecting flights Before he had a smartphone he usually sat in the airport and waited Sometimes he read a newspaper to pass the time Now he has a smartphone What are some work tasks that George can complete during this two hour wait using his smartphone How does having a smartphone affect the amount of work that George can complete 13 Explain how the Chinese proverb A wise man adapts himself to circumstances as water shapes itself to the vessel that contains it relates to managing a budget 14 Give possible reasons why the number of landlines continues to decrease

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